A few weeks ago, the lululemon lab hosted a 101 on bike maintenance with support from a local bike shop. Here’s a few of the things we learned when it comes to keeping our sweet ride, sweet.

tired out

you know it’s time to replace your tires when…
• The rubber looks cracked
• The treads are worn down
• There is visible damage to the tire
• You’ve gotten several flats in a short period of time

pumped up
PSI stands for Pounds per Square Inch and is a unit of measurement for pressure. When pumping up the air in your tires, most tires will indicate a range of PSI best suited for your bike. Stick to the lower end of the scale if you’re into mountain biking – a bit of a softer tire will help keep you upright on loose gravel and unpredictable terrain. If you’re planning on hitting the road, a higher PSI will encourage your tires to roll over the pavement more efficiently – ain’t no one gonna catch you now!

a well-oiled machine

 
One of the most surprising things I learned was how often I should be cleaning, degreasing and lubing my bike – turns out I’ve been neglecting her… A LOT. For the average commuter you should degrease and lube up your ride once a week (or whenever the chains start to look black and gucky).

degreaser – think of it like shampoo. Degreaser is for cleaning all the darkness and build up that occurs on your chains. Spray the degreaser over the length of the chain, pedaling through a few times to allow it to soak into the links. Wipe clean with an old rag and a bit of clean water.

lube – your lube is like your conditioner and is to be used after you degrease your bike (and once it’s completely dry). When it comes to lube a little goes a long way – just let a few drops trickle over the chain and pedal through about two times. Voila! Easy as pie.

other things every bike owner should know:

• do not lubricate your brakes. Ever.
• do not use WD40 on your chain.
• the minute you feel like you have to tug on your brakes a lot or they are making a weird sound, bring your bike into the shop immediately! This is not something you can wait on – it’s very serious!
• Get your bike tuned up once a year. Just like going to the doctor, it’s something you should just do on an annual basis.

Pedal on, people – happy riding!

There is nothing (literally nothing) that could make us want to bike to work like the prospect of looking this chic on our wheels. While we’ll leave biking in a maxi dress to the Europeans (aka the pros) our commuting capsule has got us inspired to saddle up. Looks a side, we asked University Village educator, April, to share five reasons she likes to ride her bicycle as much as Queen does.

5 reasons to commute on your bike

1. it’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood
Goodbye gridlocked traffic, annoying radio commercials and the occasional onset of road rage. Trade in your drive for a bike ride and you just might see what Mr. Rogers was talking about. On my bike, I’m much more connected to my community. My senses are all heightened during my commutes and I’m always making mental lists of the restaurants and shops I must visit on my next outing. There’s truly no better way to discover a new coffee shop than by getting a caffeinated whiff when I whiz by.

2. get your bike to do the heavy lifting
There’s no doubt about it, carrying your stuff sucks (aside from the impromptu arm workout). Whether it’s your work stuff, gym gear or groceries, carrying the load by hand isn’t fun. Schlep no more – from cute bike baskets to commuter lunch boxes to bike bags, there’s tons of crafty ways to let your bike carry the weight. Heck, there’s even a way to get that six-pack home in style. *Disclaimer: please don’t drink and ride.

3. it’s good for the environment
Being a Seattleite (not to be confused with satellite), I like to think of my city as environmentally conscious with bike friendliness at the top of the list. More and more cities are implementing bikes lanes and bike sharing programs making biking a breeze. Think of all the carbon emissions we could save when calories are our fuel of choice.

4. it’s good for your wallet
Gas, car insurance, transit passes, parking. Need I say more?

5. log a little extra sweat for the day
Riding my bike to commute means no gym membership for this girl. What could be better than getting your sweat on while getting to work? I spend 70 minutes riding round trip and my workout is done for the day. I always feel so energized when I arrive at my destination and I never regret my choice to bike.

Why do you love to ride?

I was reading on the ferry on my commute to work when these 12 words literally jumped off the page at me. When was it, yesterday? Last week? Last month? I sat there, mulling over what kind of a leader I was (or wasn’t) being in my own life.

Relief came when I quickly realized the answer: yesterday. It may not be a Nobel-prize worthy accomplishment, but I was pleased and comforted at the thought that yesterday I did something new for the first time. What was it, you ask? I floated. Silly-sounding? Yes. But when you’re a sinker like me, who has always inhaled to her fullest only to have her feet, legs and hips slowly pull her under, floating for the first time is spectacular!

Having grown up surrounded by freshwater lakes, I recently moved near the ocean, where the salt water was only too happy to support me! And so I floated, looking up towards the blue sky as the calming blissful silence of the sea held me up.

One could argue that it's kind of silly (or even embarrassing) that a girl, who just celebrated her 30th birthday, was excited about learning how to float. I thought about how this achievement could relate to my life.

So many of us float through life, and many of us feel ourselves sinking when the pressures of our day become overwhelming. I couldn’t help but wonder: is it about ‘floating’ through life or ‘growing’ through it? If we pretend that we know it all, aren’t we just missing out on all the learnings and wonderment that come along the way? What if we looked at life as an adventure instead of getting caught up in the daily grind?

Get up today and do something for the first time – no matter how big or how small.

Alexis from our Store Support Centre recently did something for the first time. Check out her blog post, "If You're Guilty and You Know It..."

1. Dance: Pulse Wrap – the perfect cool down cover-up.
2. 5Yr SS Tee II – a comfy layer piece.
3. Run: Speed Shorts – my fav shorts ever!
4. Energy bar – an on the go pre-yoga snack.
5. Pack of gum – self-explanatory!
6. Sunglasses – a summer staple.
7. Wallet – in case I need some retail therapy.
8. Lip balm – a must have.
9. Floss – Dance. Sing.
10. Deodorant – so I can head straight to work after yoga and still be included in meetings .
11. Keys – yes…I know I have a lot.
12. lululemon library book – a great read to calm the ego after practice.
13. iPhone – my lifeline.
14. Headphones – to transform my phone into an iPod.
15. Om Bottle – staying hydrated is very important during this Vancouver heat wave!
16. Align Ultra Mat – the key to a successful yoga challenge.

PS: Paula's bag is the Best Basic Yoga Tote. It's water resistant and has a giant strap for the commuting yogi.